2026-27 Off Season

[RufusRex]

Very disappointed Morkos wasn't selected/available. Extremely hard to put a price on him as is.

Check out the Cook Islands team - They did what we didnt manage to do last season.

 

[Jaz20]

Check out the Cook Islands team - They did what we didnt manage to do last season.

Hahaha assumed injury.. maybe the hip drop he copped (no penalty) round 27 still lingering.

 

[RufusRex]

Assuming the rest of the team fell the way I want, my bench would be (even if Kerr were still here).
Interchange: 14. Liddle, 15. Ryan, 16. Halangahu
Reserve Interchange: 17. Webster, 18. Nick, 19. LKT

of course this would change if we recruited/lost players
we need a middle, an edge forward who can cover centre AND a spine player on the bench.

Sorry to quote myself, Robinson in the grand final gives you the blueprint for bench. The change in rules has actually turned the game into a 3 interchange player game now (which the roosters used in the grand final).

You essentially play with 3 interchange players and 3 reserves covering your backs/spine. Ramsey covered FB/W, Savala covered C/58/HB, Ioelu covered Hooker.

For a regular season game you may change that to an outside back/spine/running forward but i think the trend will move to having three regular interchange players and 3 non regular.

With the NSW cup draw, those non regular players will change each week to make sure they at least play cup every 2nd game.

So for us you may see Atkinson/LKT alternate in 17, Nick/Hutchinson alternate in 18, Tu/Burton alternate in 19 (depending on the other 16 players)

 

[Dragons faithful]

Sorry to quote myself, Robinson in the grand final gives you the blueprint for bench. The change in rules has actually turned the game into a 3 interchange player game now (which the roosters used in the grand final).

You essentially play with 3 interchange players and 3 reserves covering your backs/spine. Ramsey covered FB/W, Savala covered C/58/HB, Ioelu covered Hooker.

For a regular season game you may change that to an outside back/spine/running forward but i think the trend will move to having three regular interchange players and 3 non regular.

With the NSW cup draw, those non regular players will change each week to make sure they at least play cup every 2nd game.

So for us you may see Atkinson/LKT alternate in 17, Nick/Hutchinson alternate in 18, Tu/Burton alternate in 19 (depending on the other 16 players)

Yes the bench I think has to be thought out and have a strategic plan going forward. Agree

 

[RufusRex]

if we dont rotate those non used players out of the 1st grade squad regularly they risk not playing at all which is worse ...

 

[Eric]

if we dont rotate those non used players out of the 1st grade squad regularly they risk not playing at all which is worse ...

If my memory serves correct, Mug Fan suggested some weeks ago, players unwanted for next year might sit on the bench for 80 min in first grade. If not every week, most weeks.

 

[RufusRex]

yeah .. you could absolutely have Gutho/Flano in those kinds of roles on the bench.

 

[TheRev]

Gutho/Flanno for sure would be the guys stuck in 18th/19th jerseys... both in their final year anyway and we didnt want them to stay... be a bit awkward with Gutho cause hes a leader in the group.. and a competitor who wont sit by quietly.. Kyle I mean I dunno is it possible he does play at some point in the 7 jersey this year.. maybe if we had a bad injury run... but I think we would prefer to just rip the bandaid off and take things on without him as a backup plan.

Atko is a bit different cause if he is staying for a few more years.. we want him developing.. even if its NSW Cup fullback..

 

[Mailroomsgi]

Nah Kyle’s shite, play LKT or Reed over him if it’s necessary